Bolt Action V3: Assault on Bardia with armour Mk II

More tossing, turning and not sleeping and thought about my Australian 6th Division army list for the assault on Bardia.

After reading chicagodice.org's update to 3rd edition and their 2nd to 3rd edition changes list I've made yet more changes.

The commanders AND tanks are all now regular. I can't afford a veteran company commander and can't afford the lower morale and -1 to hit for the armour and commanders. My anti tank fire is bad enough that not hitting in the first place will be worse and I want the extra morale boost of regular commanders to keep my units in the fight longer. 

I've dropped the sniper (who I will miss as he was the scout for the 1st platoon but is incredibly expensive) but added a 3rd 1/2 squad to it for more resilience and a platoon reserve. 

I also kept the medic as to get 50% of army from reserve I need an extra unit. I still can't have the medic AND one tank in reserve, but I do have enough room in the 3rd Bren gun carrier to fit him AND the company commander AND the engineer platoon commander which adds a small bit of survive-ability to them. I'd probably put the MK II-VIB light tank on the board at the start for it's HMG and the speed to get into the enemies half of the table much faster than the very slow Matilda II. which needs flank and rear shots to get enemy armour too. I also had to drop the command tank role from the Matty but the company commander will be close to the engineers and their transports anyway.

I had to drop one engineer's squad from having anti-tank (aka satchel chargers) grenades, but I can give their squad leaders SMG's for better assault firing. 3rd edition makes charging INTO combat harder apparently. I am torn between getting the 2 SMG's or upgrading the Vickers light tank to have a light autocannon for slightly better anti-tank and HE ability. I currently think having better assault capability for my two attacking infantry units is better than a better support unit.

I think I'd take the Blood Curdling Charge option so if I DO get to the point of launching a charge into close combat, my men won't get defensive fire and I don't have to worry about thinking about it if I should charge or not, just do it. Useful for the tank hunter squad too,

I also need one extra unit that's cheap to get the engineer platoon and the company commander attacking from reserve, so I got a 2nd light mortar but had to make both mortar's inexperienced. I get the impression smoke rounds are pretty useless which is a pity because I think that's the best use (which is what my experience in World War II Online tells me), but dropping mortar rounds in random locations seems thematic for the Hollywood level of action of Bolt Action. And the artillery spotter CAN spot for them now so that's an extra way to keep them behind the lines out of LOS and getting shot at.

Total Points: 1099

Order Dice: 18

Platoon #1

*Version 3 - British - Rifle Platoon

Platoon Commander

Platoon Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 234) 30Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Platoon Commander  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Infantry

Infantry Section (Version 3 Rulebook page 235) full strength115Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 8 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 Infantry with Light Machine gun (requires loader) 36" 4 n/a

Infantry Section (Version 3 Rulebook page 235) full strength100Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 9 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a

Infantry Section (Version 3 Rulebook page 235) 50Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 NCO with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a

Company Commander

Company Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 234) 70Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Company Commander 1 Infantry (equipped as modeled) - -  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Medic

Medic (Version 3 Rulebook page 234) 23Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Medic Medics  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a

Forward Observer

Forward Observer (Artillery) (Version 3 Rulebook page 234) 86Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Forward Observer (Artillery) Infiltrator 1 Infantry (equipped as modeled) - -  with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Anti-tank

Anti-Tank Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 237) 25Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Anti-tank rifle team 48" 1 +2 Team (2 men)

Light mortar

Light Mortar Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 238) 21Inexperienced Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Light Mortar team 12-36" 1 HE Team (2 men), Indirect fire, HE (1")

Light Mortar Team (Version 3 Rulebook page 238) 21Inexperienced Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Light Mortar team 12-36" 1 HE Team (2 men), Indirect fire, HE (1")

Platoon #2

*Version 3 - British - Engineer Platoon Bardia Assault with tanks

Platoon Commander

Platoon Commander (Version 3 Rulebook page 234) 40Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 1 Platoon Commander 1 Infantry (equipped as modeled) - -  with Pistol 6" 1 n/a    with Rifle 24" 1 n/a  with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault

Engineers

Infantry Section (Engineers) (Version 3 Rulebook page 235) 69Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 NCO with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault Engineers Engineers Entire squad equipped with anti-tank grenades Tank hunters

Infantry Section (Engineers) (Version 3 Rulebook page 235) 59Regular Qty Weapons Range Shots Pen Special 4 Infantry with Rifle 24" 1 n/a 1 NCO with Submachine gun 12" 2 n/a Assault Engineers Engineers

Transports

Bren Carrier (Version 3 Rulebook page 248) 50Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 Bren Carrier Tracked 5 7+ Open-topped, Turn on the spot Tow: Light or medium anti-tank gun     Forward-facing LMG 36" 4 n/a Front arc

Bren Carrier (Version 3 Rulebook page 248) 60Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 Bren Carrier (Boys AT) Tracked 5 7+ Open-topped, Turn on the spot Tow: Light or medium anti-tank gun     Forward-facing Boys anti-tank rifle 48" 1 +2 Front arc

Bren Carrier (Version 3 Rulebook page 248) 50Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 Bren Carrier Tracked 5 7+ Open-topped, Turn on the spot Tow: Light or medium anti-tank gun     Forward-facing LMG 36" 4 n/a Front arc

Platoon #3

*Version 3 - British - Armoured Platoon

Command Vehicle

Matilda & Valentine Infantry Tank (Version 3 Rulebook page 241) 155Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 Infantry Tank Mk II Matilda Mk II Tracked - 9+ Slow     Turret-mounted light anti-tank gun 48" 1 +4 HE (1")     Co-axial MMG 36" 6 n/a

Vehicle

Light Tank (Version 3 Rulebook page 240) 75Regular Qty Vehicle   Weapons Type Range Trans Shots DV Pen Special 1 Vickers Light Tank Tracked - 7+     Turret-mounted HMG 48" 6 +1     Co-axial MMG 36" 6 n/a